Ever wonder what it’s really like to create a fashion line from scratch (pre-Instagram)? Or collaborate with one of the most nostalgic brands of all time? You’re going to want to hear from Boy Meets Girl founder and creative director, Stacy Igel!

In a world of social media and “accidental entrepreneurs” Stacy is one of those people who knew since she was a kid that she wanted to be a fashion designer. She had her mind set on something and guess what? She did it (and did it well!) She started Boy Meets Girl in 2001 and never looked back. I actually went to her show the first or second time I ever attended NYFW and I remember really appreciating that she would go the extra mile (bringing in live music, etc). She always makes it feel like more than just a fashion show. Stacy was doing see now buy now before it was a thing (which we’ll touch on in this episode). But what I really love about her brand is that philanthropy plays a big part (you’ll just have to tune in to find out all the good that Stacy Igel is doing!)

Stacy is actually from Chicago (but has been living and designing in New York for quite a while) so it’s extra special to have some Chicago love on Fashion Friends today! I don’t want to give too much away but in this episode we’ll be discussing the latest fashion news, including the ever changing landscape of both fashion week (and how Stacy keeps up) and retail (and what Stacy thinks is the future of the industry).

You’ll also find out how Stacy got started, where she worked before she created Boy Meets Girl and how that helped shape her career, some of the biggest challenges of being a designer, advice for any aspiring designers and more!

You can listen below or on iTunes. If you’re on iTunes, why don’t you go ahead and subscribe to Fashion Friends while you’re there? Or perhaps leave a review? And if you like what you hear, leave a comment (here or on iTunes!) I’d love to hear from you.

SHOW NOTES:
Hilfiger to Create Fashion Carnival on Pier 16 at South Street Seaport
Neiman Marcus Launches High-Tech Sunglass Try-on Mirror
Study: Getting Millennials to Spend Requires Deeper Understanding of Them
Boy Meets Girl x Care Bears
Wisconsin Idea Alumni Award
Boy Meets Girl Limited Edition
Clothing For A Cause
Boy Meets Girl

Photo Credit: Amanda de Cadenet
Image via WWD

The post Episode 30: Creating A Fashion Brand + Giving Back With Boy Meets Girl’s Stacy Igel appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

Between wearable technology, bloggers, and fashion apps / startups, the worlds of fashion and technology have never been more intertwined as they are right now…but there is one person who really stands out in this fashion meets tech world as she’s doing things a little differently than most. Chloédigital’s Chloé Watts joins me for a brand new episode of Fashion Friends!

I’ve known about Chloé for a little over three years now — just through the blogging grapevine. I knew she was one of the top web developers for bloggers but when I found out about her new outlet within chloédigital, I knew I had to have her on Fashion Friends. She’s created a tool (a subscription service, specifically) for style publishers that offers strategy and tech support. So instead of just creating your website and being like SEE YA…GOOD LUCK, Chloé and her team continue to work with these bloggers to help them stay one step ahead (which is not easy to do on your own in this ever evolving world that is the blogosphere).

In this episode we’ll kick things off by talking about a [sort of] piece of fashion news (that’s very relevant to what Chloé does) — brand activations and bloggers (particularly Revolve in the Hamptons) and if they really work. Is all the money spent on parties, Instagrammable experiences and blogger fees really worth it? Tune in to find out.

And most importantly, these??amazing BABES and their wonderful husbands, boyfriends and friends hung out with us this weekend… I had so much fun spending time with you! Can’t wait for the next one @somethingnavy @golden_barbie @eleanorj92 @sophiaxsmith @songofstyle @negin_mirsalehi @chrisellelim @oliviaculpo @maximilianhurd #REVOLVEinthehamptons

A photo posted by Raissa Gerona (@raissagerona) on Jul 20, 2016 at 7:48am PDT

We’ll also discuss what it’s like to be a woman in tech (Chloé is a self-taught coder after all!), the startup scene in London (where Chloé and her business reside), how to keep up with social media trends, and more.

You can listen to this week’s episode below or on iTunes (be sure to subscribe to Fashion Friends while you’re there!) If you like what you hear, leave a comment below or a review on iTunes. I’d love to hear from you!

SHOW NOTES:

Revolve In The Hamptons
Revolve Clothing
Foray Collective
Trello
chloédigital

Photo courtesy of Chloé Watts
Instagram image via @raissagerona

Episode recorded at the J.W. Marriott Chicago & edited by Colleen Pellissier of Dog. a podcast

The post Episode 29: Creating The Ultimate Blogger Tech Tool + The London Startup Scene With Chloé Watts appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

With the over saturated blogger market, it’s refreshing to see someone really stand out and do what they’re doing for a positive and encouraging reason…which is why I’m PUMPED to have OG fashion blogger (and one of the first plus size fashion bloggers EVER) — Gabi Gregg AKA Gabi Fresh — as my guest this week on Fashion Friends.

I remember hearing about Gabi when she won the first ever MTV Twitter Jockey (TJ) contest back in 2010. She was living in Chicago at the time so I read about it on a few Chicago-based websites. I’ve been following her ever since and now it’s all coming full circle for a brand new episode of Fashion Friends…

I can’t give too much away here as I want you to hear Gabi’s story straight from her (so you’ll have to tune in!) but she’s been blogging since before blogging was a thing and really paved the way for the plus size style blogger. She’s all about ignoring the fashion rules and she doesn’t believe you need to dress for your body type. Clearly it’s working for her, as she has killer style…as well her own swimwear line so women of all shapes and sizes can look fashionable at the beach / pool.

But you know I like to kick it off with some fashion news, and with many topics of conversation involving the FTC as of late (re: Shinola “Made in America” and bloggers [not] disclosing their paid partnerships), who better to discuss such things than TWO BLOGGERS?

You can listen to Gabi’s episode below or on iTunes. Be sure to let me know what you think about this week’s episode by leaving a comment or a review on iTunes. And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to Fashion Friends on iTunes so you’re the FIRST to know about new episodes (and in the world of Talladega Nights, if you’re not first…you’re last!)

SHOW NOTES:
The Art of Disclosure: Fashion’s Influence Economy and the FTC
Shinola’s founder shows how contradictory the FTC’s “Made in the USA” regulations are
GabiFresh
GabiFresh for SwimSexy
Today Show
Eloquii
ASOS
Simply Be

The post Episode 28: Plus Size Style & Ignoring The Fashion Rules With Gabi Fresh appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

If you or anyone you know has ever worked in retail, you know there’s some fantastic stories. This week’s guest, Drew Harris, has had some of the most prestigious jobs in the retail business…therefore, he not only has some very valuable information to share but you’ll want to stick with it until the end because his final story is one for the books!

You’ll have to tune in to get Drew’s full story…but to keep it brief, he’s done everything from working as a merchant with Mickey Drexler at Gap during the “golden years” and overseeing women’s designer and CO-OP at Barneys to being the General Manager for brands like Club Monaco and Jack Spade. Now you can find him in a closet…keeping them edited and organized (so you’ll never feel like you have “nothing to wear”) with Shop Your Closets. On a side note, he was introduced to me through one of my favorite people (and former Fashion Friend) Jessica Murnane…and any [fashion] friend of Jessica is a [fashion] friend of mine!

But first, we’ll discuss the latest fashion news, like what designer decided to decrease his retail exposure and what this means for the industry as a whole, as well as the latest Resort ’17 shows and how these growing spectacles actually pay off.

You can listen to Drew’s episode below or on iTunes. Be sure to subscribe to Fashion Friends so you’re the first to know about new episodes. And if you like what you hear, leave a review on iTunes or a comment below!

SHOW NOTES:
Michael Kors Is Shrinking Its Department Store Business, On Purpose
Gucci Resort 2017
Dior Resort 2017
Louis Vuitton Resort 2017
Shop Your Closets
Shop Your Closets (in Crain’s Business) 

The post Episode 27: The Wonderful World Of Retail With Drew Harris Of Shop Your Closets appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

When you hear about someone who’s had a successful career in fashion, we always seem to assume they’ve eaten (well, barely) breathed and slept fashion their whole lives. And for those who might admire fashion from afar (with hopes of maybe being involved in the industry one day) know that you don’t have to take the typical path. You might work in finance one day and then end up styling a major celebrity at a huge music festival the next…just like my latest Fashion Friend, Whitney Middleton.

It’s funny how Whitney and I met because she actually took over my previous job as social media coordinator when I left eDrop-Off to pursue ChiCityFashion full time (and when she did this, it was a big career change for her as well…which you can learn more about when you listen to this week’s episode). If this were an episode of Seinfeld I’d say “yada yada yada she now styles Chance The Rapper.” But replace that “yada yada yada” with “just listen to the episode” and you’ll learn everything you need to know

I love Whitney’s story and how she got to where she is today —  you’re definitely going to want to hear how she’s gotten to work with such amazing clients in a short amount of time (of course, great career advice included!) Here’s just a peek at some of her work.

Before we get to Whitney’s story, we’ll discuss the latest fashion news like addressing some rumors in the designer musical chairs department (including one of the world’s most famous designers possibly retiring). And even though you already know about my love for The First Monday In May it’s something I decided to bring to Fashion Friends for a bit more of an in-depth discussion.

You can listen to this episode below or on iTunes. If you’re already heading to iTunes, why don’t you go ahead an subscribe to Fashion Friends while you’re there? Maybe tell a friend? As always, feel free to leave a comment below and if you like what you hear, tell the iTunes world and leave a review!

SHOW NOTES:
Designer Departure And Appointment Rumors
The First Monday In May
Chance The Rapper
Whitney Middleton
@whitney_middleton

Photo credits (in order of appearance): Kristyna Archer, Luke Creighton, Carrie Graham, Bradley Murray (art by Max Sansing), James Richards IV, Taylor Shields

The post Episode 26: Styling For The Stage With Whitney Middleton appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

Wonder what it’s really like to create a fashion startup? Have the urge to *add to cart* but feel like you haven’t seen anything new and exciting? Have you ever wanted super chic, not overly trendy clothing, accessories and / or home goods but at actually affordable prices? Say hello to my little [fashion] friend — Modern Citizen founder / CEO, Jess Lee — who is making it all happen.

I cannot rave to you enough about how awesome Modern Citizen is…so why don’t you just check out their site and see for yourself? And you can listen to how Jess came up with the whole concept in this week’s episode while browsing this fantastic website (and inevitably, adding to cart). Just when you think it’s all been done when it comes to fashion, somehow no one has really gotten in this space…until now. You know I love a good fashion discovery, and Modern Citizen is a damn good one. It’s always been that if you want inexpensive styles you typically have to go to your fast fashion stores, which are almost always very trend-driven. But what if you don’t want #trendsontrendsontrends? Modern Citizen to the rescue!

In this week’s episode you’ll get to hear all about how Jess created Modern Citizen — the ins and outs and everything you need to know about starting an e-commerce site (career advice included) as well as what it’s like to work with an all female team. But of course we like to kick it off with some fashion news (and this was a big news week!) Alice + Olivia is taking a model that was very popular this fashion week and trying it during a different time of year. What is it exactly? Well you’ll have to tune in to find out!

I’m sure you’ve heard by now the major changes that just went down at Saint Laurent. BUT do you think they’ll bring back the Yves? Ain’t Laurent Without Hedi…but it might just be Yves Saint Laurent with someone else. Jess and I discuss…

And because it seems like Kardashian / Jenner now goes hand-in-hand with fashion talk, we’ll briefly chat about Kylie Jenner’s new Paper cover (which sadly, to me, doesn’t even look that Photoshopped).

You can listen below or on iTunes. If you’re heading over to iTunes, be sure to subscribe to Fashion Friends while you’re there…maybe leave a review if you like what you hear You can find more information about everything we talk about in this week’s episode in the show notes, and be sure to share your feedback in the comments!

SHOW NOTES:

Alice + Olivia Coachella Fashion Show
See Now. Buy Now.
Hedi Slimane Leaves Saint Laurent
Anthony Vaccarello Succeeds Hedi Slimane
Kylie Jenner Paper Magazine
Modern Citizen

Photo courtesy of Jess Lee / Modern Citizen.
Images via Fashionista, Harper’s Bazaar & Paper Magazine

Episode edited by Colleen Pellissier of Dog. a podcast. 

The post Episode 25: Creating An All Female Fashion Startup With Modern Citizen’s Jess Lee appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

It’s time to get schooled (literally) with an all new episode of Fashion Friends. This week my guest CollegeFashionista founder Amy Levin joins me for some stylish topics of conversation. You ready for this?

I met Amy about four years ago at an event here in Chicago. She was in-between New York an LA (although she is from the suburb next to where I grew up). We were introduced by a mutual friend and I’ve seriously enjoyed watching her grow her company to what it is today. Amy started her website, CollegeFashionista, while at Indiana University as a way to share street style on campus…and it wasn’t long before she grew that concept to several other universities across the country. What’s unique about her story is that her core business plan has been the same since day one — she knew what she wanted and she went for it…and is still KILLING IT. But I don’t want to give too much away. You’ll have to tune in to get her full story!

First we’ll be discussing some hot topics, like do you even need a blog anymore to become a successful influencer? We both weigh in…and have slightly different views. Be sure to let me know what you think about this subject in the comments. We also talk about the Daily Front Row Fashion Los Angeles Awards (which I’m sure you’ve never heard of…because neither did we) but with the number of A-Listers that showed up to this (along with some surprising winners) we had to chat about it.

Now I already gave away a little bit about Amy but in this episode you’ll find out how she came up with the idea for CollegeFashionista (and turned it into her full-time career), what it’s like to be out of the college game but still be immersed it in everyday, as well as tips for those who have that entrepreneurial spirit and are thinking about going for it. CollegeFashionista also just started a podcast so we’ll be talking about that as well!

You can listen below or on iTunes. Why don’t you subscribe while you’re there? If you’re feeling me, leave a review on iTunes and / or a comment below.

SHOW NOTES:

You Don’t Need A Blog Anymore to Become a Successful ‘Influencer’
Maura Brannigan on Fashion Friends
Social Media Strategy
Daily Front Row Fashion Los Angeles Awards
CollegeFashionista
Style Guru
Office Hours Podcast
@amy.levin

Images via Amy, Elle & Instagram. 
Episode edited by Colleen Pellissier of Dog. a podcast. 

The post Episode 24: Creating A Career On Campus & Educating Students Beyond The Classroom With CollegeFashionista’s Amy Levin appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

You know those people who just do it all and somehow manage to do it all so well? That’s exactly how I feel about this week’s Fashion Friend — Red Soles and Red Wine blogger / t+j Designs CEO, Jen Worman.

I’ve known Jen for for a while now, just from being on the blogging scene in Chicago. But what’s so intriguing about her is that she does so much more than run a successful blog. She even runs a second blog with her sister, who also happens to be her business partner in t+j Designs (which you’ll just have to learn more about in this week’s episode!) On top of all this, she’s also created an e-book with her sister on how to get Instagram followers (in an authentic way…very important, friends). Now you may wonder, how does she do it all? How does she find balance? Those were the questions I was asking and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how she responds to this. Jen has a really interesting story as she wasn’t always in fashion. She just set her mind to something, did it, and is doing it SO DAMN WELL (and is the type of girl who isn’t going to settle…it’s only going to get better from here!)

In this week’s episode, you’ll learn more about how Jen got into the fashion business, what it’s like to run a company with her sister (as well as her parents!) and of course some advice for those who might want to run their own fashion brand one day. BUT we’ll be kicking things off by wrapping up fashion month and discussing two very important shows from Paris Fashion Week (one sparking the conversation of yet another round of fashion musical chairs).

Tune in below / on iTunes. Be sure to subscribe to Fashion Friends on iTunes, so you’ll be the first to know about new episodes. And if you’re digging this episode (or any other) leave a review on iTunes and / or a comment here!

SHOW NOTES:
Lanvin Fall 2016
Bouchra Jarrar
Saint Laurent Fall 2016
Balmain Fall 2009
t + j Designs
Poshmark
Red Soles and Red Wine
Tiff and Jen
E-Book

Images via Jen Worman, t+j and Vogue Runway

The post Episode 23: Wrapping Up Fashion Month + Running A Fashion Brand / Family Business With Jen Worman appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

We are switching things up this week on Fashion Friends! Just because you don’t currently work in fashion, doesn’t mean you can’t be a Fashion Friend. And my latest guest (and former CCF Loves!) Jessica Murnane proves just that.

I’ve already bragged about my love for Jessica in CCF Loves, and I do even more so in this episode, so if you’re sick of me telling you how great she is, you’ll just have to deal with it…there is more to come! I wanted to have Jessica on this episode specifically because although she’s a wellness advocate / soon-to-be cookbook author / podcaster (so nothing “fashion” or “style” in her title) she LOVES talking about the red carpet. And with the Oscars still fresh on our minds, I knew she’d be the perfect post-awards-show guest. But she does have a pretty great fashion resume you might not know about. I’ve had guests on Fashion Friends who have made the switch into fashion, but Jessica will be my first who did the opposite. It goes to show that just because you’ve been doing something for a long time, doesn’t mean it has to be your career for life (and Jessica has some fantastic advice in this episode so you’ll have to listen up to get the scoop!)

You can listen below or on iTunes. If you’re on iTunes, why don’t you subscribe to Fashion Friends while you’re there? If you’re feeling me, go ahead and leave a review on iTunes or maybe even a comment below (or both!)

SHOW NOTES:
How Much It Really Costs to Look Perfect on Hollywood’s Biggest Night
Oscars Red Carpet
Today Show Dress Swap
JessicaMurnane.com
One Part Podcast
One Part Podcast (iTunes)

Episode edited by Colleen Pellissier of Dog. a podcast 

The post Episode 22: Oscars Red Carpet + How To Get A Job Without Trying With Jessica Murnane appeared first on ChiCityFashion.

If you’re a fan of all things beauty, you’re going to be PUMPED about this week’s episode of Fashion Friends. If it can be used on your hair, skin and / or nails…my latest guest has probably tried it. Get inside the head of Glossier Editor, Emily Ferber, RIGHT HERE (or right here) right now.

I actually met Emily about five years ago when she was in college (a Chicago girl too…woo hoo!) and I was very excited to find out that her first full-time gig out of school was with Glossier. What started as a beauty blog is now a growing beauty empire with a super successful editorial site (Into The Gloss) and product line (if you haven’t tried Glossier…you’re going to want to scroll to the bottom of this post…not yet though…you should probably read on first). In this week’s episode, we’ll be discussing all things New York Fashion Week (including our favorite collections and beauty looks).

As well as Grammys fashion (you know I can’t resist talking red carpet!)

You’ll also get to learn more about Glossier, how Emily became editor, her favorite Glossier and non-Glossier beauty products, and more.

You can listen below or on iTunes. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes so you’re the first to know about new episodes. And if you like what you hear, leave a review. I really do love your feedback. The more you let me know what you like, the more I can give you!

SHOW NOTES:
Rag & Bone Fall 2016
The Row Fall 2016
Victoria Beckham Fall 2016
Burberry Fresh Glow
Fenty x Puma
NYX Cosmetics
Wet Hair Look
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Conditioner
Grammys Red Carpet
Ciara
Sheet Mask Snow Day
Milky Jelly Cleanser
Glossier Boy Brow
Eyebrow Routine
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick
Bobbi Brown Corrector
Glossier
Into The Gloss
Emily Ferber

And for even more Glossier…

Images via Vogue & Into The Gloss.
Episode edited by Colleen Pellissier of Dog. a podcast 

The post Episode 21: Working Your Way To Editor With Glossier’s Emily Ferber appeared first on ChiCityFashion.